Losing Sleep
Tifa couldn't stop staring.
The drizzle had just started - a light rain that left a coat of damp liquid sheen across his skin and his hair. Droplets of water clung to the knitted patterns of the fabric of his sweater, cresting into tiny baubles of glass. They rolled down the lengths of his arms, traveling along the lines and dips of muscle that sketched out his biceps and triceps.
Tifa blinked from where she sat in the padded grass, a blanket spread out under her while another covered her knees, the mist tickling her nose. It was late, and the others in their party had long ago made their way to their tents at the line of the campsite the group had staked out earlier. Tifa had found sleep difficult to come by these days, and so her nights were spent staying up later and later, pondering her thoughts.
A foot or so to her right Cloud sat, also still awake, proving to be a night owl like herself. He was seated on a large boulder, his sword balanced over his lap as he polished the blade and cleaned the materia slots. Despite the light rain, Tifa didn't move, entranced by the sight beside her. Cloud continued his ministrations even with the sudden opening of the skies, and aside from a cursory glance heavenward and a low-muttered swear when a raindrop tapped his forehead, he mostly ignored the shift in weather.
She was close enough that she could see each droplet as it plunged and fell on him, including one that landed on his bare right shoulder, just beside his sweater's cuff. She blinked, watching its slow descent down his arm, trickling its way down the groove of muscle that formed his bicep before disappearing under his bracer and glove.
Tifa swallowed, her eyes tracing it until it was gone. It left a smooth line of wetness on his skin that glimmered with a slight sheen under the flicker of the campfire's flames, and the lump in her throat grew. There was something beautiful and mesmerizing about the slick translucence of his pale skin, the way that she could see the bubble of his veins, and the way that his muscles stretched and pulled as he moved. Every movement that Cloud made was methodical, efficient, and precise - there was no time wasted and every action his hands and fingers performed was done with purpose.
Her heart beat a little faster as she thought about it. Tifa couldn't lie to herself about the fact that everything Cloud did enraptured her attention in a way that was downright distracting. The way that he focused on a task, his skill in commanding the battlefield, his efficiency in organizing their group and even the thoughtfulness in his planning had struck her from the moment they'd begun spending time together in Sector Seven.
More than anything, though, Tifa had become taken with the way that Cloud employed this same thoughtful and measured proficiency in his interactions with her. He always seemed to be in lockstep with her, always paced his movements and his direction with hers. There was a synergy that had developed in their reconnected friendship that made every moment more charged than the last - the way he casually flirted while helping her around the bar, the way he checked on her during their travels, the way he made sure their attacks against a foe were perfectly synchronized. All of it had created a confusing cauldron inside of her, one that had been brewing and bubbling since they'd reunited at that train station just a few short weeks ago.
It made every moment for Tifa practically debilitating - even quiet, mundane ones like this, watching him polish and examine his sword. Perhaps it was because she had always admired this side of Cloud - the quiet and mundane Cloud, the one who kept to himself and did what he wanted without anyone else's approval or care.
It certainly didn't help that he was absolutely gorgeous while doing so.
She shifted where she sat, pulling her blanket further over her thighs as they subconsciously rubbed together. It was becoming more and more difficult for her to relinquish these thoughts from her mind, and she was becoming embarrassed and even ashamed of them. When they'd first reunited, she'd tried to write it off as something normal but silly - they were both grown-up and he was a handsome and capable SOLDIER now. It had been years since she'd last seen him as a scrawny teenager, and even then, she had been taken by him. Now, he was taller and more muscular and even prettier than he'd been way back then. She'd blushed far too much around him at first, but she thought she could get it under control.
She couldn't.
Perhaps it was because there was more to Cloud than just a pretty face and strong, chiseled arms. This was something that Tifa had known ever since they were children. Yet seeing it now as adults - his calm, reserved nature, his sharp tongue and quick thinking, his sure-footedness and his quiet compassion - they were all things Tifa had picked up on those first few days in Sector Seven. And he was eager to please and even a little bit goofy - she still giggled whenever she thought about his story of making drinks like Winter Salt with his SOLDIER buddies in the barracks.
Tifa was certain there were parts of that story that were embellished, but it didn't matter to her. What mattered was how much effort Cloud put into entertaining her with small talk when he was tight-lipped and noncommittal with everyone else.
And perhaps that was what made his external qualities so much more appealing and desirous, she thought as she watched him turn the blade over in his hands. Oh, those hands… when had they grown so large? As his gloved fingertips curled around the hilt of the Buster sword, Tifa watched the muscles of his forearm contract in tandem with the pit of her stomach. She'd felt those hands on her body in so many fleeting moments, and they always left behind a flicker that seared, awakening her body in places that turned her bright red to think about. Right now, she imagined what it might feel like to be that sword, stretched out over his lap with his hands rubbing back and forth over her -
"Tifa?"
His voice broke through her thoughts as if Ramuh, the god of thunder, had bellowed a command straight into the sky. Blinking and starting slightly, Tifa looked up at Cloud, finding that he had stopped polishing his sword and was sitting up straight, staring at her with his head tilted to one side in a silent question. He held an orb of blue materia in one hand, his gloved fingers carefully spread around the glowing, glassy globe.
She imagined them spread around her breast in a similar way, cupping it gently as he stood behind her, caging her with those muscular arms and his breath on the back of her neck…
She dispersed that thought quickly, slamming her thighs together and forcing herself to look up into Cloud's eyes, catching that subtle green mako glow back at her.
"Hm?"
He shook his head slightly, the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk. He looked… pleased with himself, smug, almost. The sight made Tifa blush, and she tried to will the heat out of her face and neck. Of course, it was impossible.
"You were staring off into space," he responded, a slight edge of amusement to his tone. It made her spine shiver and her knees knock together under the blanket, her legs unable to remain still. His eyes were smoldering as he stared back at her, the flames from the fire painting scorches of liquid fire across the blue pools of his irises. He was almost looking at her playfully, and something about that look burned.
She glanced away, finding occupation with the scuffs on the toe of her boots where they peeked out from beneath her blanket. She could feel the flames that burned the tops of her cheeks, and she hoped that the darkness concealed the color that was for sure bleeding across her skin. Distractedly, she tried to wipe the image of Cloud's toned form and the thought of her ensconced in his grip from her mind as she cleared her throat and assembled a response.
"Sorry," she mumbled, doing her damnedest to pretend she didn't notice the way he stared back at her almost mirthfully. "Was just thinking about some things, that's all."
He nodded, then set his sword to one side, stabbing it into the dirt beside him. Leaning forward, he picked up the waterskin they'd been passing around earlier that night, one that was full of rum they had picked up in Costa Del Sol.
"You've seemed a little distracted lately," he said, offering it to her. "Something to take the edge off."
His smirk softened into a smile, her belly fluttering as he threw the words she'd said to him in Seventh Heaven back at her. It spread warmth all throughout her system to hear him remember and repeat the things she said. It showed that he really listened, and for Tifa, that made him even hotter than his well-defined physique.
"Winter Salt?" she snarked.
It was Cloud's turn to blush, but he grinned in that dorky, quiet way she noticed he only seemed to do for her and never when anyone else was around. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Almost as bitter," he replied, waving the bottle until she finally accepted it from him.
Doing so was a mistake. The rum was strong and the alcohol went straight to her blood and to her head, making her feel hot all over and a little dizzy. But she pulled down a few sips anyway, the instant relaxation of her nerves a pleasant sensation after being wound up all day.
Cloud leaned back on his hands, his attention still on her. The drizzling was sporadic, stopping and starting again, leaving them both coated in a light film of cool liquid that Tifa admitted was welcome in this humid climate and with so much heat plaguing her system.
The longer that Cloud's eyes were on her, the more the warmth grew.
"You don't mind the rain?" he asked, looking up. To call it rain was a bit of an overstatement, but there was still enough precipitation to be noticeable.
For once, Cloud looked relaxed and at ease as he glanced back at her, engaged in easy conversation. His tone was light and soft, one that she rarely heard. In fact, Tifa realized, she only heard this tone when they were alone.
"We're country kids," she reminded him teasingly, taking another sip from the waterskin and offering him a smile. "The outdoors never bothered us, right?"
Cloud chuckled lightly, leaning forward again to take the rum from her so that he could indulge it himself. "I guess you're right," he rejoined, glancing down at himself where the light droplets of water had clung to his sweater. "Even so, it's getting late, and you'll catch a cold out here if you sit in the rain too long. Ought to try to get some sleep."
She took the bottle back from him, allowing herself another swig. "Only me?" she gibed. "And what about you, SOLDIER boy? Mako makes you immune to rain and exhaustion?"
Tifa wasn't much of a drinker, and it was already easy enough for her to flirt with Cloud when she was sober. But with a few sips in, the words were rolling off her tongue.
"Maybe," he replied.
His voice had grown even softer, and coupled with his sculpted profile looking back at her, Tifa felt those shivers run through her body again. She shifted where she sat, watching as Cloud got to his feet, offering her one hand.
Wordlessly, she stood, folding her blanket over her arm. Cloud had a way of silently commanding her, though it usually occurred on the battlefield or when there was imminent danger - signaling her in ways that told her how to synthesize with his next move. But more and more, he was communicating with her in these quiet, intimate moments that they were beginning to share, and Tifa was finding herself growing weaker-willed and questioning where their friendship was headed. She'd locked away feelings for Cloud for years, but with everything going on and with the internal issues he'd seemed to be struggling with since he'd come back into her life, Tifa had tried to keep them buried for the sake of their friendship and to protect him as well as her own heart.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to do so, especially when he looked at her the way that he was looking at her now, his eyes smoldering like lava, the thick muscles of his outstretched arm twitching as he waited for her to take his hand.
Swallowing carefully, she did so, letting him help her to her feet. She was only mildly perplexed when Cloud began leading her in the direction of his tent, a large blue one that was set up on the perimeter of their camp, leaving hers abandoned in the cluster with Aerith's and Yuffie's. A giddy warmth of anticipation flooded her. More and more, they'd been spending time alone together. They'd held hands at the beach, and a few nights ago, she had fallen asleep on Cloud's shoulder when they'd sat on a bench together just outside of Costa Del Sol. But they had never done anything quite as intimate as sharing a tent.
Nonetheless, Tifa bit her lip silently and followed Cloud, her imagination swirling as she watched his shoulder blades shift with his back-and-forth swagger, her eyes traversing down his back and narrow waist and imagining all of it naked and unmasked.
She snapped that thought hastily from her mind when Cloud approached his tent and unzipped the flap, stepping out of the way and extending his arm to let her venture in first. Face flooded with warmth again, Tifa ducked inside, careful not to tread her boots on his bedroll or blankets. Instead, she made quick work of sliding her feet out of them, then shimmying politely to one side as Cloud slipped in behind her, zipping up the tent's flap to keep out the rain.
"Get comfortable," he told her mildly, gesturing to the spread of blankets on the tent's floor.
Tifa's cheeks were razed with heat, her heart racing madly in her chest. Cloud was behaving as if this arrangement were totally commonplace. Still, he averted his eyes from her as he turned to pull off his boots and armor, and Tifa was certain she could see a faint stain of pink highlight his cheeks in the glow of the small battery-powered mako lantern that sat in the corner.
She turned away and did as he asked, the alcohol still leaving a mistiness careening through her head as she shifted and undid her armor, taking up a comfortable position on one corner of Cloud's bedroll. Her heart was still racing alongside her thoughts, overwhelmed by the fact that Cloud was so close that she could smell the faint scent of mountain air and rain that drifted from his skin. He smelled like home, she thought absently, watching silently from the corners of her eyes as Cloud unstrapped his pauldron and harness, pulling the heavy iron and leather off of his torso and tucking them to one side. Without them, Tifa could better see the definition of his upper body and the way that his sweater clung to his chest, and her thoughts began to race again, wondering what that serviceable dark fabric might be concealing. Heat pooled so low in her belly that she had to squeeze her thighs together, inwardly berating herself for thinking about what it might be like to slip her hand under that material and touch his skin.
But then, Cloud did the unthinkable.
He sat up on his knees, crossing his arms over the front of his body. Tifa watched with eyes widening as his long and nimble fingers - now gloveless and bare, she noted - dug into the soft fabric of his turtleneck and tugged it free from the belted waistband of his pants. Her thoughts began to blur as he pulled the soft material over his head and tossed it to the side, stretching those long, powerful arms as he moved.
Tifa swallowed the heavy lump that had gathered in her throat, and she was sure that the sound could be heard miles away. Cloud Strife - her childhood friend, the scrawny, quiet boy who had invited her to the water tower in town and had made a promise to her - sat less than a foot away from her in the dim lamplight of his tent, shirtless and bare from the waist up. His skin was still damp from the rain that had leaked through his sweater, leaving a light sheen all across the sculpted hills of his pectorals and the valleys and lines that built his defined abdomen. Tifa had imagined what he might look like naked more times than she cared to admit, but she never suspected that she'd ever have the opportunity to see this much of Cloud up close and personal.
And he was behaving as if it were completely normal, shifting slightly to get comfortable on the bedroll beside her, laying back with his arms behind his head.
Tifa nearly choked on her own saliva, another shiver running down her spine.
"Tifa?" he looked up at her curiously, seemingly impervious to any impropriety he may be causing. "You alright? Are you cold?"
Was she cold? Was she alright?
Was he serious?
She cleared her throat slowly, choosing her response carefully. "I-I'm fine," she stuttered. The alcohol was making her both dizzy and highly imaginative by now; all she wanted to do was reach out and touch, especially when Cloud rolled his hips ever so as he tried to get comfortable. Her insides flared with warmth. His waist was so narrow and with his belts undone, his pants sagged just slightly, exposing the sharp indented 'V' that led southward to places Tifa burned up at the thought of.
"My hair is just a little wet," she explained, using that as an excuse to turn away. She gathered the heavy curtain of her dark locks in one hand, combing her fingers through them in an effort to tame them back under control. The entire time, she could feel Cloud's eyes on her back.
"It's beautiful," she heard him softly say.
She turned back to him, pulling her fingers away, the strands falling across her shoulders. Their eyes met in the darkness again, and she found Cloud smiling lazily at her, content and unperturbed by any of the usual conflations of stress and trauma they were often confronting. They were just enjoying each other's company, and he was happy.
"Hm?" she found herself humming.
Cloud reached out a hand, and Tifa couldn't help the way her eyes fell, admiring them without their usual bindings of leather. His hands were… immaculate. Long, graceful fingers and architectural bone structure beneath smooth and velvety skin. Hands that were large and powerful yet handled her with such gentleness and care. She dug her teeth into her bottom lip, imaging that hand all over her body - around her throat, his thumb pressed to her lips and his longer fingers buried inside of her -
"Your hair," his voice broke her thoughts. He reached out, snaking his fingers around the lock of her hair that had spilled over her shoulder. "It's beautiful. Just like the rest of you."
Tifa's heart nearly stopped beating. But Cloud seemed not to notice how his words affected her, because he simply smiled, holding her eyes for just a moment longer before he laid all the way back and dropped her hair, closing his eyes.
Tifa slowly exhaled. Cloud had grown more unrestrained with his compliments towards her, but hearing him voice them as he laid next to her half-naked whilst they bed-shared was another matter altogether. She was certain she was going to combust.
And she couldn't stop staring.
Cloud was completely self-possessed at her side, his breathing mellowing out into a light drone as he let himself doze. Tifa couldn't imagine how he could be so relaxed while he lay there shirtless with her on the bedroll beside him, but it was as if her presence were the very thing that was placating him. Her mind only rolled in wilder directions as she thought about what that could mean, the heat in her belly spreading throughout her entire body as she shifted uncomfortably where she sat.
Cloud was soon snoring lightly, though Tifa knew from experience that he was a light sleeper, especially when they were making camp out in the wild. Nonetheless, the fact that he was asleep was enough to calm her nerves somewhat, and she spent the next few moments getting herself acclimated for sleep, unbuckling her skirt and shedding her outer white tank top and stockings to let them dry from the dampness of the light rain.
Once she was reasonably, but still somewhat modestly, dressed in just her shorts and sports bra, she shifted to lay on her side next to Cloud, leaving a slight, respectable distance between them. Even though he was sleeping peacefully, the rum in Tifa's system had her wide awake, and she couldn't help the way that her eyes wandered.
Cloud's skin still shined, and it looked so soft. It was taking everything in her power not to reach out and run her fingers across his flesh, to gently press down and see if it felt as velvety smooth as it looked. Now that she could admire unabashedly, Tifa could see how truly well-defined and toned Cloud's body was. Every muscle was perfectly sculpted and tailored, as if he had concentrated solely on cultivating each into a flawless cast. She could see the effort and skill his years of training had earned him, sharp lines cross-cutting his midsection where his abdominal muscles dissected. Biting into her lip again, Tifa glanced up at Cloud's face, a serene, angelic look of placid bliss relaxing his features as he dozed quietly.
He won't notice if I just touch a little, will he? Just a light brush…
Leaning forward and holding her breath, Tifa found that she couldn't stop herself from the sudden impulsivity that took hold of her limbs. Her right hand reached out, nervous fingers trembling as they first sought out his bicep closest to her. Aside from his incredibly pretty face, Cloud's arms had been the first thing that Tifa had noticed about him when they first reunited, finding her childhood friend all grown up after so many years had passed. It was near impossible for her to avoid staring at them any chance she got, especially when she saw the strength behind them put into action, the very first time being when he'd helped carry those crates of liquor back to her bar. Being ensconced tightly in their hold in Aerith's garden had nearly sent her into an emotional ruin.
Now, so up close, staring was the least that she could do.
Tentatively, she reached out and touched.
Cloud didn't stir when her fingers connected with the soft curve of his upper arm, but Tifa felt as if she'd touched an electric fence. A bolt of charged heat ran through her entire body, singeing her fingertips and setting fire to her bones. Jolted, she glanced at Cloud's face, seeing the same contented look on his face, not a hint betraying that he realized she was touching him. Licking her lips, Tifa scooted forward, trying her luck by tracing her fingertip over every muscle on Cloud's upper and forearm, learning the intricate mapping of them down to his wrist and then back up again to his shoulder.
She wasn't sure what she was doing or why she was doing it. All she knew was that she was guided by urge and whim, by equal parts desire and curiosity and admiration. All things she had been trying to bury and keep caged up inside of her that were growing more and more difficult the more that she and Cloud spent time together and grew closer throughout this journey.
His skin was as soft as it looked, and it was hot to the touch as if his very blood was undergirding him with flames. It was unexpected for a man like Cloud who spent so much time fighting and laboring to feel so delicate and supple. But the hardness of the muscle and sinew below was evident, and the sharp contrast sent the heat in Tifa's tummy straight down between her thighs. Unwittingly, her left hand joined the right, this one finding its way to his collarbone and gently outlining a path down to his pectorals where she lightly traced the bumps and curves of them.
The burning Tifa felt between her thighs and at the tips of her breasts reminded her how she'd never touched a man like this, how she'd never felt the kind of overwhelming and powerful attraction she felt towards Cloud. As a child, she'd always thought Cloud was cute, beautiful even, but in a cherubic and ethereal way, possessing the same sort of galactic beauty that the stars did. But now as a man, all grown up and strong and filled out, his beauty had reached the divinity of a a god, an Adonis who was setting her every sense on fire and making her burn.
The heat building up inside of her rose as she realized how forbidden and utterly naughty her behavior currently was. Cloud was sleeping peacefully and she was taking advantage of that fact to explore his body while he quietly snoozed. She didn't think he would mind if he woke up - their friendship had established enough layers of trust that he felt perfectly fine laying shirtless next to her like this. And already they'd shared so many intimate moments that included far too much touching or just bordered on a kiss or something more than what they'd already established. Maybe it was the alcohol that still burned off of her blood, but she couldn't help herself.
It only got increasingly worse when Tifa let her imagination run wild, wondering what it might be like to touch him with a little more purpose and intent, to feel his hands all over her body in a similar fashion. Her daydreaming grew dangerous when she closed her eyes and imagined them embroiled in a shared and passionate embrace, his hands traveling her body while hers traveled his, her fingers still sliding along the slick heat of his skin. She could feel the burning need pulse in the tiny button between her thighs, and she rolled her hips, arching her back and squeezing her thighs together in a lame attempt to find some relief.
"Tifa?"
Once again, the thunderclap of his voice roused her from her woolgathering, only this time she was flushed and tangled deep in fantasies that had her whole body oversensitive and responsive. In her mildly tipsy condition, she'd lost track of where she was and what she was doing, and her fingers froze in place where they'd fallen to that V of his lower waistline, her eyes popping open and meeting his, bright blue and glowing in the dark.
"Cloud!" she exclaimed, finding him staring up at her. Her face flooded with even more color and heat, this time from embarrassment at being caught. Her nipples were rock hard and poking through the flimsy fabric of her top and her panties were soaking wet. She hadn't realized until now how wildly she had been gyrating her hips, absently bumping into his. She pulled her hand away from his torso as if it were a hot cauldron that had burned her.
Cloud, though, was smirking.
"Like what you see?"
Tifa was touching him.
Tifa was touching him.
It was taking everything in his limited reserves of power to maintain the cool facade at the arrangement in front of him, Tifa Lockhart in her skivvies with her hair damp and sticking to her narrow shoulders, the slender fingers of one hand glued to his tricep while the other hovered just above the waistband of his pants, centimeters from his lower stomach. She blinked her doe-eyes, her hands both flinching as if caught stealing before she retracted them fully, blushing brightly like the color of her irises.
It was always hard for Cloud to maintain his cool around Tifa. Damn near impossible, he might admit. And the longer they spent time together and grew close, the more difficult it became to keep from completely capitulating to the way she weakened every fiber of his being. Tifa was like home to him. Just being close to her made him feel more like himself, helped him to feel as if he were recovering pieces of himself that he had lost somewhere along the way. Tifa was his anchor, even if she didn't know it yet.
It was only made more complicated by the fact that she was gorgeous. She was stunningly beautiful, with the kind of physique that could make a grown man cry. Cloud was constantly sickened by his own perverse thoughts about Tifa, by how badly he wanted her physically as much as he did emotionally, by the things he wanted to do to her. He could barely tolerate himself having such thoughts; the idea of another man ever glancing Tifa's way in such a manner was enough to make him violent.
The specifics of their childhood memories were hazy and unclear, but it didn't matter to Cloud. What mattered to him was that it felt right being with Tifa, and that feeling only surged as the days went on and they spent more and more time together. Whatever walls had existed between them began to crumble, and even though they didn't speak a word about it, the distance between him and Tifa naturally began to close. They shared private moments, and there was a mutual ache that they both could feel throb whenever they had to spend time apart. They trusted one another enough to let their guards down in each other's presence, so much so that they could sleep with the other near.
Cloud, in fact, slept better when Tifa was in close proximity. He found himself losing sleep when she wasn't.
Cloud had been content to sleep with her at his side again tonight… that is, before Tifa started touching him.
He swallowed as their eyes connected and burned together in the small space of his tent, the rain gently pattering its roof above them. He felt safer and more comfortable with Tifa than he did with anybody, and while he secretly wished that she might return some of his deeper affections, inwardly he knew that they were friends (albeit very close friends) and that was probably the extent of it. So it was a bit surprising to catch her behaving with such unabashed and outward desire towards him.
His heart racing, Cloud nevertheless tried to keep his composure, desperate to maintain the upper hand when it came to his feelings and his relationship with Tifa. It was the only way he would keep from spiraling completely out of control when it came to her.
He sat up on his elbows, offering her a sage smirk. "Like what you see?"
It was clear that his words caught her off guard from the way that she blinked and blushed. Maybe they caught him off guard, too. Sometimes Cloud wondered where these sharp and flirtatious responses would come from, but he was always quick with them when it came to Tifa. She was clearly flustered, biting her lip and dropping her eyes as her lashes crested the tops of her cheeks.
Gods, he loved having that effect on her.
He was feeling rather pleased with himself and was trying to determine his next move when Tifa looked up again, blinking at him so that those thick lashes fluttered. The lump formed in his throat again, and Cloud watched with eyes widening as she suddenly leaned forward and crawled in his direction, the heavy swell of her breast brushing over his upper arm.
"I do," she whispered her response, climbing over his legs and centering herself on top of his thighs. "I'm sorry for touching without asking."
Her voice was slow and thick like the languid drip of molasses, sultry but slightly slurred from a little bit of drink. She smiled warmly at him as she leaned over him, the lantern behind her casting soft shadows over her cheeks and highlighting a halo around her hair. She was like an angel above him, warm and divinely beautiful, and Cloud was finding it increasingly difficult for him to avoid touching her.
"You're forgiven," he tried to keep his smug, confident tone, but his voice broke mid-sentence. It was Tifa's turn to smirk, her eyes glassy with desire and slight inebriation as she leaned down, her face inches from his.
"May I touch, sir?" she asked, putting on the same fake infantryman voice she'd used when they had been in disguise back in Junon.
Cloud had been trying to ignore the intense throb between his legs ever since he'd brought Tifa into his tent, but there was no denying the way his cock jolted at her words. Arching his back slightly, he nodded, unabashedly raising one hand to her hip to hold her as he watched her smile expand.
"Whatever you want," he croaked.
Her smile expanding, Cloud nearly leaped out of his skin when Tifa leaned all the way in and gently pressed her lips to his.
He hadn't expected this. After the last few moments they shared that past week, Cloud had opened his tent to Tifa with the hope that they might sleep side by side, or at the very most, cuddle with one another a bit. He vividly remembered how she'd fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder the other night, and cuddling seemed like the logical next step.
Kissing, though…
Not that he was complaining.
Cloud's body was immediately responsive and he didn't even have to think about it, his hands coming up to place themselves gently on Tifa's upper back, holding her in place against him as their lips melded together. Her mouth was so soft - like kissing a cloud or the creamy filling of a pastry - that he found himself gapping his lips and sinking into it, the rest of his senses evaporating into the sensations that sparked through every nerve ending. He let his tongue snake outward, his cock throbbing and leaking when they connected, every muscle in his body contracting when she shyly brushed her tongue across his.
The kiss was tentative and sweet, spiraling the longer it went as the bubbling passion between them grew. They finally broke apart for air, Cloud opening his eyes again and training them on Tifa's kiss-swollen lips as she licked them unsurely. Her cheeks were even more flushed and her pupils were dilated with lust, and every part of Cloud's body ached.
"Tifa," he gasped lightly, not knowing what else to say. His hands remained firm on her back, and the heat of her soft but strong body was reducing his bones to ash. He knew that she could feel his erection, and matters weren't helped when she pushed away and sat up above him, grinding her center against his and tipping her head to one side, her long ebony hair sliding over her shoulder.
Tifa smiled at him, clearly pleased with the way he moaned her name. She chewed into her bottom lip lightly, and it was fast becoming one of the hottest things Cloud had ever seen her do. And that was a tough distinction to make.
"You're so handsome, Cloud," she hummed softly, bringing her hands back up to his shoulders. She lowered her gaze, letting her eyes fall to his torso. He watched as they searched the expanse of his bare upper body, the bashful smile on her lips widening. Tifa was always so quiet and serious and reserved about most things, but he had noted in the back of his mind over the last couple of weeks the way that she would deferentially check him out or flirt back with him in ways that set his blood alight. Watching her succumb to such open displays of admiration was destroying him from the inside out.
"When did my childhood friend grow up to be so big and strong?"
The painful strain in his cock surged, and Cloud couldn't help but wince at her words, involuntarily bucking his hips upward at her in a way that made her giggle wantonly. Her hands drifted down the lengths of his arms, once again letting her fingers trace their way down the thick bulges of his biceps the way she had been when he woke up and caught her touching him. He watched her studiously, his heart pounding at the way she dragged her fingernails across his skin.
"I dunno," he finally managed in a lame response to her question. "Basic training will do that to a guy, I guess."
She giggled again and gave his left bicep a hearty squeeze, and the way that his dick moistened at the tip was utterly disgraceful. It was bad enough she could feel how hard he was, but if she had any idea the way she was making him leak, he might die. Her tiny hand held such a firm grip on his arm, and her fingers were so soft. The contrast in sensations was maddening.
Glancing up at her again, he could see how her nipples had stiffened into pointed peaks, poking through the soft fabric of her sports bra, and he was suddenly desperate to rid her of that offensive piece of material and get his mouth on her. He didn't have the opportunity, though, because before he could move his hands to touch her, Tifa was leaning over him, her pillowy tits dragging across his chest as she bent down to press a series of soft, open-mouthed kisses along the tendon that separated his bicep and tricep. The sensation of her soft, heated lips gently kissing his battle-roughened skin caused his entire body to seize up, a soft, uncontrollable moan escaping his lips. She smirked at the sound, scraping her teeth over his arm.
"I don't think you understand," Tifa purred, rolling her hips again. Cloud winced and threw his head back, his toes curling at the brief surge of pleasure that assaulted him where their centers met. "There were thousands of guys in Midgar, including SOLDIERS and infantrymen. I've never seen a man whose body was as gorgeous as yours."
She shifted, her movements sending sparks all throughout his body. She switched her attention to his opposite arm, tracing the same lines and leaving the same kisses. "You must work out constantly. I love watching you fight."
He really should tell her to shut up. He was going to come right in his pants if she didn't, but he loved the sound of her voice and he had no idea how crazy it would drive him to hear her praising him like this.
"Th-hanks, Tifa," he managed to grovel. Why did he sound like he was whining? She pressed her hips down again and he almost sobbed, his hands locking around her waist and squeezing tight. Enthused, she gently nipped his bicep, dragging her lips across his skin as she centered her attention on his torso.
Cloud swallowed, watching as she continued her sultry attentions, first kissing her way across his collarbone. Still sitting up on his elbows, he watched her as she lowered her lips to his pectorals, her fingers drawing a line down the groove between them as she softly kissed each of his nipples. He thought his sternum might collapse right inside of his chest.
"I'm so glad you finally took off your shirt," Tifa sang. "You don't know how much I've been daydreaming about seeing you like this, Cloud. I was so mad when you refused to take your shirt off in Costa Del Sol."
Cloud did his best to summon a quick-witted response, his vision whiting out momentarily when Tifa's lips brushed across his nipple again. "You're the only girl who gets to see me like this, Tifa."
This was apparently the right this to say, because Tifa looked up at him, flushing bright red again, her eyes sparkling with even more lust. He could see in their glassiness how badly she wanted him and the thought was completely dumbfounding to him. Sure, he wasn't so clueless as to miss all of the signs of their mutual attraction those last few weeks, but to know that she wanted him so badly, that she was willing to so openly display it…
She chuckled softly, her warm breath skating over his abdominal muscles as she lowered her body, her lower stomach brushing over his hard dick. He almost came right there but he managed to contain himself, closing his eyes to the sight of her voluptuous body snaking over his and her too-pretty face so close to his crotch. She kissed her way between his six-pack, and when her fingers gently ran like rivers down the divots between them, his self-control completely snapped.
Growling, Cloud sat up fully, scooping Tifa up by the waist with one arm. That bicep she had spent so much time worshipping curled tightly around her, pinning her body against his as he folded her under him, swapping their positions until she was lying beneath him in his cluster of blankets.
"Cloud?" she queried, her cheeks bright and her eyes still cloudy with want.
Cloud pressed a finger to her lips, those gorgeous, pouty lips that had moments ago been glued to his body. He shivered at the memory and the thought; if he had let her continue, it was likely those lips would have ended up wrapped around his cock. As much as he wanted that - Minerva knows he did - there was no way he would last longer than a minute or two under such circumstances. And more than anything, he wanted to please Tifa.
He had always wanted to please Tifa.
"Shhh," he beckoned her. "It's my turn."
Tifa blinked, settling into the bedroll and watching him silently. Her submission and the way her legs unknowingly shifted apart spoke volumes of how badly she wanted him and how desperate she was for some relief, just as he was. He was all too happy to provide it to her.
He bent down to kiss her again, knowing he would never tire of having Tifa Lockhart's lips against his. It was single-handedly the greatest experience he'd yet to have and kissing her was an act he was going to be sure to initiate any chance he got the opportunity. She moaned and accepted him, looping her arms behind his neck as they indulged one another, her legs crossing behind his back and anchoring him to her. Cloud loved how blatantly she displayed her desire, how openly she wanted him, unable to keep himself from grinding his hips into hers in response.
He finally tore his lips away, lowering his kisses down her throat while his hands carefully but messily fumbled to push her bra up over her full and voluptuous tits. She giggled, arching her back into his hands, helping him by pulling the fabric over her head and tossing it to one side. Cloud paused long enough to stare at her perfect breasts, both nipples a dark pink and swollen stiff from need. He wasted no time diving in to pleasure her with his lips and tongue, kissing and sucking softly while she grabbed the back of his head and burrowed him into her skin.
"You're perfect, Tifa," he fawned, laving her sensitive peaks with attention. She rolled her hips upward desperately, moaning his name with quiet abandon. Reaching up, he covered her mouth with one hand.
"Keep it down."
Their eyes met in the dim light and she nodded, frustrated tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Cloud knew exactly how she felt. He kissed each of her nipples before getting to his knees, his hands hooking onto the waistbands of her shorts and panties.
"Can I?" he asked her softly.
"Please."
Her whine was enough to destroy him, and bestowed with the honor, Cloud began to tug the stretchy material down her hips and over her creamy thighs, entranced by her endlessly long legs as he pulled it away and tossed both items into the corner with the rest of their clothes and armor. Shyly, Tifa covered her face with her hands, but her thighs parted slightly nonetheless, betraying her feverish need.
Cloud could see the tiny pink folds of her pussy, glistening and swollen. It was the most perfect, beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life, his brain momentarily short-circuiting as he realizes that it was Tifa's pussy he was staring at. Tifa Lockhart, the shy but gorgeous, popular girl next door, the mayor's prized daughter and the one he had once thought had slipped away from him forever. She was laying under him, her perfect pussy on display for him and him alone while her breath escaped in shallow, wild little puffs. He dropped his hand to her thigh, squeezing the soft muscle there as he willed himself to be calm before he touched that savory little clit that was pulsing for his attention.
Suddenly, Tifa reached up, touching his bicep again. The pads of her fingers gently swept across it, before her hand latched around, giving it another needy squeeze.
Something about it was possessive. As if he belonged to her.
Of course, he did.
"Please," she begged again.
Cloud felt his stomach coil tight, his cock twitching again and his balls swelling and drawing up tight against his body. He was on the verge of exploding, but all he wanted was to watch Tifa come apart for him first, to melt in his arms from the kind of pleasure only he could give her. His mind was vibrant with the idea of it and already he felt cocky, leaning over her to press a kiss to her lips while his fingers slid through the slick heat of her pussy.
"It's okay," he reassured her, carefully brushing his fingers through her wet folds. They came away drenched, and his dick throbbed. "I'm right here, Tifa. Whatever you want me to do for you, I'll do."
She reached up and squeezed the muscles of his upper arm again, this time a little more demandingly. Her hips twitched, rotating in a slow circle, eager to grind against his fingers. He brushed his thumb across her clit, feeling the stiff, engorged nub pulse as she let out a wild little moan.
"More," she gasped feverishly, her breath coming out in hot pants against his lips. He kissed her again and they both sighed, eager for relief from weeks' worth of tension. "And keep talking."
Cloud didn't need to be told twice. He nipped at her bottom lip, one finger teasing her tight, hot opening while his thumb flicked back and forth over her clit.
He almost came again at the thought of his cock being inside her.
"You need me to make you come, is that it?" he whispered, distracting himself by trailing kisses up to her earlobe. "You want your hero to take care of this pretty pink pussy of yours, don't you?"
She gasped and trembled, squeezing the life out of his bicep, her hips giving little volatile starts. Pleased with her reactions and feeling himself, he pinched her clit carefully between his thumb and forefinger, and without even thinking about it, he gave it two quick little gentle pats.
"At your service, baby."
Tifa cried out so loudly that Cloud was certain she would wake the entire camp. Her body convulsed, and he realized dizzily that she was coming right on his hand, still squeezing his arm with all the might and power in her petite body. Panicked but thrilled, Cloud covered her mouth with his, silencing her scream with a kiss and grabbing her thigh with one hand so he could grind his clothed cock over the wet fullness of her pussy until he joined her in a shared release.
It didn't take long. His cock was heavy and full and he was aching, and it took nothing but a few quick pumps against her body before he was spilling inside of his underwear. He stuttered and groaned, messy kisses between their lips catching both of their exasperated sounds as they unraveled together. Cloud couldn't hold himself above her any longer, his body collapsing on top of hers, his chest rubbing against the firm, pointed tips of her sexy pink nipples.
For long moments they lay together, laboriously trying to catch their breaths, a mess between their bodies. The front of his pants were covered in Tifa's release and their insides were covered in his own. He briefly surmised he would have to sneak downriver to rinse them out at some point before the others awoke, but for now, he could only close his eyes and clutch Tifa's svelte and soft body against his.
She emitted a soft purring sound, burying her face against his throat. Her hand was still on his upper arm, latched around his bicep. Having caught his breath, Cloud laid his head on top of Tifa's, wrapping an arm around her and holding her close.
"You okay?" he asked her quietly. He couldn't help himself. After seeing the way she orgasmed in his hands, he was quite sure that she was more than okay, and he was quite pleased with the result. Still, he had to ask. He always had to make sure.
"Perfect," Tifa cooed, nuzzling his chest. Her fingers stroked the curve of his bicep, sending another shiver through his entire body.
If she didn't cut it out, he was going to lose it again.
Cloud leaned back so that he could get a good look at her pretty face. She was as content as a kitten at nap time. Smugly, he smirked at her.
"I'm guessing you got a thing for my arms?" he asked playfully, flexing his bicep. Tifa turned red again, but she didn't take her hand off of his arm. Instead, she grinned back at him, leaning over him this time, pressing her tits against his chest again.
"Not just your arms," she whispered back, letting her fingers drape down his sternum, covering his pecs and then his abs. "All of your muscles."
And then she kissed him again, all of the blood in Cloud's body once again draining south.
Needless to say, both of them lost sleep that night.